By Joseph S Conteh
Sierra Leone has taken a significant step forward in its commitment to evidence-based policymaking and transparent governance with the launch of the 2026 Population and Housing Census. The census, which was officially unveiled on December 1st, 2025, at the Bintumani Conference Centre in Freetown, marks a critical milestone in the country’s journey towards modernising its national data infrastructure.
Welcome Address, Madam Kenyeh Barlay, the Minister of Planning and Economic Development, emphasised the central role that the census and accompanying data initiatives will play in supporting the implementation of Sierra Leone’s Medium-Term National Development Plan. “No national plan or development strategy can be effectively designed or implemented without accurate, credible, and timely data,” Barlay noted. “This census, along with the newly unveiled Data Initiative and Dashboard, will provide the essential foundation for evidence-based decision-making and equitable resource allocation across the country.”
The Statistician General and Chief Census Officer, Andrew Bob Johnny, said it was an important milestone in Sierra Leone’s journey towards evidence-based development and underscored the transformative potential of the census, stating that it goes far beyond a mere statistical exercise. “A national census is the bedrock upon which a nation’s future is built. It determines where schools are constructed, how roads are prioritised, and how vital public services are distributed across districts, chiefdoms, and communities,” he said. “By ensuring robust data collection and transparency, this census will empower citizens and enable more informed, accountable policymaking.”
UNFPA County Representative Kunle Adeniyi: It is a profound honour to stand here, on behalf of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and indeed, on behalf of all our esteemed development partners, to witness His Excellency the President officially launch the Pilot Census.
We commend the government’s leadership in prioritising this critically important national exercise. The data collected from the census will determine where schools are built, where health services are expanded and how resources are distributed to ensure that the furthest behind are reached first.
At the technical lead agency for the census, UNFPA understands that the integrity of the final count rests entirely on the thoroughness of our preparation. The Pilot Census is the single most important mechanism to safeguard that integrity, as it subjects the entire census machinery to an uncompromising stress test.
In line with our global mandate to strengthen national capacity for population data generation, UNFPA is honoured to be providing sustained technical assistance, capability building, and coordination support to the census process. Our role is to ensure that this census not only counts every person but also produces high-quality, disaggregated data that accurately reflects the needs of all Sierra Leoneans.
In January this year, we partnered with the experts from the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa and the United States Census Bureau to undertake an independent assessment of the country’s technical capacity and readiness to undertake the census.
We wish Statistics Sierra Leone and the dedicated field teams every success in this pilot phase. We are confident that through technical excellence, collective partnership, and the sustained support of all stakeholders, this pilot will pave the way for a successful, credible, and transformative National Census.
In his keynote address, Chief Minister David Moinina Sengeh emphasized the non-political nature of the census, highlighting its importance in promoting fairness, inclusive development, and effective service delivery. “The census belongs to all of us,” Sengeh declared. “It is about understanding our population, our living conditions, and our needs as a nation. By embracing this process and supporting the national development vision, we can work together to deliver for the people of Sierra Leone.”
The vision of our country development plan, is important to stick to the national development plan, the vision of Sierra Leone quest to become more inclusive,green, and middle-income country by 2039.
